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Lacking the Fruit of the Spirit

9/5/2021

2 Comments

 
Last time we discussed the dangers of neglecting the Holy Spirit. This  week I would like to look at the proof, or indicators that a church or person  has followed in the path of the Galatians and is serving God in the power  of the flesh. Is there a danger that you and I have jumped the track and are  unwittingly trying to following Jesus in our own strength? 
The answer is really very simple. Religious self-effort always ends in sinful  self-worship. What were the Galatians trying to do? They were trying to be  justified by the works of the law. They wanted to follow God's law, but  somehow had ended up quarreling and trying to devour each other. 
Paul uses more than twelve different descriptions to describe their lack of  love for each other. Things like envy, jealousy, bitterness, strife, and the list  goes on. Chapters four and five of Galatians is a perfect description of  trying to serve God in their own strength, and they failed miserably! All of  their religious effort was a utter failure. They got caught up in what they did  and ended in a more dangerous state than before. This state is more  dangerous because when we get to this state we no longer see our  wretched condition. We are caught up in what we do for God, and we have  lost sight of what God wants to do for us. 
This is a very heavy thought to me! Where am I? This is the question we  must ask ourselves. Has my desire to live for Jesus and keep God's  precious law led me to seek the Holy Spirit's presence in my life? Has this  filling of the Holy Spirit filled my life with love, joy, peace, patience,  kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? Or has my  desire to keep God's law become about what I am doing? Do I find my  myself comparing my walk with Jesus to others walk? And if their walk  does not agree with mine, do I find myself being judgmental, critical and 
trying to make them live my way, in my church? There is a danger of it  becoming about what we do for God; instead of what God can do in us  and through us as we are filled by the Holy Spirit. 
As we examine ourselves we may have to admit that what God begun in  the Spirit has been derailed and jumped track. We may have to admit that  our religious life has become more about us, and having it our way than  about God's way and being led by the Holy Spirit. The great and glorious  news is that when we can grasp our great need, and give up trying to live  for Jesus by our human efforts. When we will wait on the Holy Spirit to  come with all His omnipotent and enabling power, then our Church will be  the blessing in our community and in our families that we see in the early  Church. Then our lives will demonstrate the love and joy and peace and all  of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that God longs to pour out on us through the  Holy Spirit. I long for that day! Next week we will look at what it means for  you and me to yield to the Holy Spirit.
2 Comments

    Pastor Brad

    Pastor Brad Traxler is the pastor of the Wrangell SDA Church. Brad Traxler is the husband of forty years to Cheryl, father to Kimberly and Ryan, and grandfather to Brad, Kevin, William, Eamon, Zairhen, Seraphina, and Zeelyah. He holds a BA in Theology and has been pastoring churches for twenty years. The greatest passion of His life has been to share Jesus. 

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